THE WORLD agriculture sector is bracing for Vietnam to
implement a full ban on the herbicide glyphosate.
Last month Vietnamese government officials announced a ban
on glyphosate imports, which is normally seen as a precursor to a full ban.
There has been speculation a full ban could be announced as
early as the next week, however there is furious negotiation from international
parties unhappy with the potential ban.
Vietnamese agriculture minister Nguyễn Xuân Cường has been a
strong supporter of further regulation of chemical use in the south-east Asian
nation.
The Vietnamese chemical regulator has declared glyphosate
safe for use, but it does not appear to be swaying the government.
Chemical use is a controversial subject in Vietnam with the
memories of the damage caused by Agent Orange, a dioxin-based product, in the
Vietnam War still painful for many, with a report from 2017 saying over three
million Vietnamese people are still affected by Agent Orange / dioxin.
Official Vietnamese news agencies reported the decision to
ban glyphosate imports was made following a US court ruling that
glyphosate-based Roundup herbicide was responsible for a man's cancer.
The court ruling was the second to decide there was a link
between glyphosate and cancer, but the crop protection sector has argued the
decisions should not be taken as a de facto ruling on glyphosate safety as the
decision making juries do not have a scientific background.
Australia is keenly monitoring the situation in Vietnam, as
it could have major repercussions on trade.
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